Chapter 89 My Final Proof

Chapter 89 My Final Proof
“Stay by my side... is that really too much to ask?”
"If you already know the answer, then why are you keeping me here?" Ariana replied curtly. Yet the corner of her eye twitched when she noticed how pale his eyelids looked.
"I'm sorry," Christian said weakly.
Deliberately, she glanced at Christian's long fingers, which were still trembling as they refused to release her wrist.
"It's already come to this. What else can I do..."
"Can't you stay here with me?"
Ariana's whisper had been so soft that she thought she had spoken only in her mind. Yet Christian answered immediately in a weak, hoarse voice filled with sorrow.
The sharp eyes that had once been wild and ruthless now looked at her with quiet pleading.
Oddly enough, Christian immediately shrank back in fear.
He continued staring at her, swallowing hard, the movement of his Adam's apple unmistakable. Ariana was truly beginning to feel frustrated.
"I'll stay here, as long as you take your medicine." As she spoke, she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Really? I'll do it."
Christian's pale lips curved into a wide smile. Despite his sickly complexion, his face lit up with delight.
Without hesitation, he nodded enthusiastically like an obedient little boy.
"Have you had dinner tonight?" Ariana asked, her voice softening. She genuinely wanted to make sure.
"I didn't have much of an appetite. What about you... no, Lucas..." his hoarse voice dropped lower. His heavy, bloodshot eyes, still glistening with moisture, suddenly sharpened.
His gaze filled with emotion as he looked toward the door. He kicked off the blanket and swung his feet onto the floor.
"The servants here must not be taking good care of you. How dare they disobey my orders!"
"Hey, what are you doing, Christian! Calm down."
Instinctively, Ariana grabbed his arm and pulled him back onto the bed. The two of them ended up sitting side by side.
"They haven't seen me yet," she answered quickly, then hurriedly added, "I mean, they haven't seen my real face yet. Lucas and I have been treated well here. So don't send them away again. I know you're already short on servants."
"Was it Sophia who told you?"
Ariana remained silent.
"Believe me, I don't need any of them if they're willing to lay a hand on my wife and son."
"I'm not your wife anymore," Ariana shot back immediately, her voice firm, her lips puckering in irritation.
"I already told you. I still haven't signed those divorce papers."
After saying that, he turned toward the nightstand when he noticed the stunned look on Ariana's face.
"You said you wanted to give me my medicine?"
"You really know how to make me angry, Christian. You're always playing with me." She clenched both fists as she spoke.
She stood up and picked up the plate of food that had been placed beside the medicine.
"You can't take medicine on an empty stomach. Open your mouth."
"You're going to feed me?"
"Stop talking."
Christian's handsome but noticeably thinner face brightened with a joyful smile.
He savored every bite, his sleepy eyes never leaving the woman who had driven him mad. Even more than losing Michelle ever had.
He finished by swallowing the medicine that had frustrated both his personal physician and Jenson for so long.
"It's cold," Christian murmured softly as the cool towel Ariana had wrung out rested against his forehead.
"I hope your fever comes down soon," Ariana said sincerely.
"I want this here too."
Gently, he took her other hand and pressed it against his warm cheek.
Ariana frowned with a stern expression, but she made no attempt to pull her hand away from beneath Christian's large palm.
"You'll never get better if you keep acting like this. Besides, you're not Sophia's age anymore."
Then he lifted Ariana's hand to his lips and kissed it for a long moment.
"Do you think I'm my twin sister now?" she was already prepared for Christian's answer.
"You're my Ariana. And you'll always be my Ariana, the one who was always so clumsy."
His pale eyelids slowly opened, and he looked at her with complete sincerity.
"I love you so much, Ariana."

"Don't you already have a new fiance?"
"I do."
Ariana clenched her teeth tightly as Christian answered calmly.
His eyes remained closed, but their fingers were still firmly intertwined.
"Then why won't you just sign the divorce papers? Once we're divorced, you can hold your engagement party right away, can't you?"
"Because I don't want to."
Ariana's expression hardened even further at his answer.
"Forget it. I don't care about your personal life anyway."
Ariana tried to calm herself. She turned her face away, disgust filling her expression.
"Go to sleep already. I need to be with Lucas too."
"That's not what I wanted. I never cared about that woman."
He suddenly explained again, while their joined hands only seemed to cling together more tightly.
"I don't want to hear it," Ariana replied coldly, shaking her head firmly.
She was afraid the part of her heart that hated Christian so deeply would begin to soften.
Ariana's refusal made no difference.
Christian was still Christian. Even half dead, he insisted on speaking, as though failing to explain himself would only make Ariana misunderstand him even more.
"What you saw at the hotel restaurant happened because Sophia begged me. I only found out after she disappeared that she had been threatened by my mother and that woman."
His voice was quieter this time.
Ariana's face immediately flushed crimson. Her eyes widened.
"I never said I saw you there!" she blurted out, sounding awkward as she struggled to hide the embarrassment burning across her face.
"I saw you there with another man. I was incredibly jealous. But if I'd gone over to you, you would've hated me even more."
His voice turned sorrowful. "Don't leave us again, Ariana."
He spoke once more. His eyes opened, and he gently kissed the back of her hand, still entwined with his.
The warmth of his lips instantly spread across her skin.
"I'll be honest. You're here because of my plan."
"How'd you do something like that, huh?!" Ariana's voice rose with anger as she realized she had been trapped.
But her expression froze the moment she heard Christian's next words.
"I am manipulative. But I won't force you."
"What do you mean?"
"Give me one month to prove my sincerity. If you still can't love me again..." a pained groan, he forced himself halfway out of bed.
He pulled several documents from the drawer of the nightstand.
Ariana straightened, her eyes fixed on the documents he pushed toward her.
"This is everything I earned on my own since I was young. It has nothing to do with the Matheus family. And as you know, I've already resigned from my position at Crownbridge Group. My grandfather has also recalled some of the servants here."
He then pointed to the last stack of documents.
While Ariana listened, part of her couldn't help growing curious.
"Everything has already been transferred into your name. Including this mansion."
"Have you lost your mind, giving all of this to me?"